Defining Community in Early Modern Europe

Download or read book Defining Community in Early Modern Europe written by Michael Halvorson and published by Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. This book was released on 2008 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Numerous historical studies use the term community' to express or comment on social relationships within geographic, religious, political, social, or literary settings, yet this volume is the first systematic attempt to collect together important examples of this varied work in order to draw comparisons and conclusions about the definition of community across early modern Europe. The chapters demonstrate the complex and changeable nature of community in an era more often characterized as a time of stark certainties and inflexibility. As a result, the volume contributes a vital resource to the ongoing efforts of scholars to understand the creation and perpetuation of communities and the significance of community definition for early modern Europeans.